Who Spreads More Bullshit?  Fox Propaganda Network or CNN Clickbait Press?

06 Aug 2025 3 Comments

by Dr. John Persico Jr. in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Excuse me for the euphemisms I used in the title for our leading right wing and left wing paid media.  In reality, they are both brothers or sisters in that their “raison d’etre” is to make money.  It is not (as our founding fathers would have hoped) to “educate and inform” the citizenry.

I am taking a short break with this blog from my skewering of some notable conspiracy theories to address the above question since the purveyors of the misinformation, lies and bullshit are even more culpable than the morally corrupt who start these scandalous lies.  In fact, the media are even more guilty since they profit mightily from keeping these conspiracies going.  The following information comes from my favorite muse ChatGPT.

The question of whether Fox News or CNN spreads more misinformation, lies, or disinformation is highly contentious and often depends on political perspective. However, we can ground an answer in media studies, fact-checking data, lawsuits, and journalistic standards rather than ideology.

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🔍 Definitions Matter

  • Misinformation: False or misleading information, shared unintentionally.
  • Disinformation: Deliberately false information, spread with intent to deceive.
  • Lies: Knowingly false statements.

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🧾 Fact-Checking and Analysis

  1. Independent Fact-Checkers (e.g., PolitiFact, Media Bias/Fact Check, Ad Fontes Media)

Source    Reliability Rating     Bias Rating

CNN          Mixed to High         Lean Left

Fox News  Mixed to Low         Right to Far Right

  • CNN has been cited for mistakes, especially with anonymous sourcing, but generally corrects errors and upholds mainstream journalistic standards.
  • Fox News has a split personality:
    • Its news division (e.g., Bret Baier) tends to be more factual.
    • Its opinion shows (e.g., Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity) have been repeatedly flagged for spreading falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and disinformation.

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⚖️ Legal Evidence: Dominion Lawsuit Against Fox News

  • In 2023, Fox News settled for $787.5 million with Dominion Voting Systems for knowingly spreading false election fraud claims after the 2020 election.
  • Internal emails showed Fox personalities and executives knew the claims were false but aired them to retain viewers.
  • This is a clear-cut example of deliberate disinformation for profit and political gain.

CNN has not faced a comparable legal loss for deliberate disinformation.

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🔥 High-Profile Incidents

Topic                                       CNN                                                         Fox News

Iraq War (2002–03)     Supported invasion initially                  Strongly promoted WMD narrative

COVID-19                       Mixed messaging                                  Spread vaccine/mask disinformation

2020 Election Fraud   Rejected false claims                             Amplified fraud theories

January 6th                  Framed as insurrection                            Justified actions

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📊 Public Trust & Academic Studies

  • Studies (e.g., from MIT, Harvard, Pew) show that Fox News viewers tend to be less accurately informed on major events compared to viewers of CNN, PBS, or BBC.
  • CNN has been accused of bias and sensationalism, but rarely of systematic disinformation.

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✅ Conclusion

Fox News, especially its opinion programming, has a more substantial and well-documented record of spreading disinformation and lies, particularly when politically or commercially advantageous.

CNN is not without bias or error, and sometimes engages in editorial framing that reflects a liberal viewpoint, but it has stronger mechanisms for fact-checking, corrections, and accountability.

Conclusions:

My conclusions are to avoid the mainstream paid for profit media as much as possible.  Broaden your media choices to include podcasts, webcasts, articles published by independents or people that you admire.  Be careful of anything or anyone selling you something or who has a profit motive in hand.

  • Do not rely on any one source for your information.
  • Do not accept anything as gospel truth
  • Verify and corroborate any information you receive
  • Be tentative: Move information up a hierarchy as more data and sources support the information. 
  • Be open to other opinions. Do not accept anyone’s word as 100 truth
  • My father used to say “Believe nothing of what you hear and ½ of what you see. I still think that is good advice. 

Debunking Bullshit Lies and Conspiracies – John McCain

04 Aug 2025 2 Comments

by Dr. John Persico Jr. in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

For the next several days, I am going to wade into some lies and/or conspiracies that were spread to discredit, dishonor and destroy some outstanding people.  If you are tired of hearing about stuff like this, than turn me off for the next week or two.  My intention is to publish one of these stories every few days.  I was motivated to do these stories by some discussions with Trump supporters.  I was amazed at the number of conspiracy theories they believed in that I knew were false.

I am not sure why more information never gets made public to debunk such lies.  It seems the mainstream media does nothing to help dispel the vicious slander and conspiracy theories that are spread about men and women.  People who have the courage to attack a corrupt system or withhold their support for a corrupt system.

John McCain has been widely regarded by many people as a war hero.  Nevertheless, a surprising number of right-wing activists have spread stories to attack McCain’s war record and/or his integrity.  Some even called McCain a traitor.

What was Senator John McCain accused of?  Was it true?  Did he shoot off a rocket while his jet was getting ready to take off a carrier?  Was he ever charged with any war crimes?  Let’s look at some of the stories and then facts concerning each story.

Accusations & Allegations

  1. Keating Five Scandal (1989)

McCain was one of five senators implicated in improperly advocating for Charles Keating and his Lincoln Savings and Loan during an ongoing federal investigation.

In 1991, the Senate Ethics Committee found that while others were reprimanded, McCain (and Sen. John Glenn) were cleared of wrongdoing—though they were criticized for poor judgment in meeting with regulators on behalf of Keating.  No criminal charges came from this—he was investigated but not charged.

  1. POW-era “treason” or “war criminal” claims

Some groups (e.g. Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain) circulated allegations that McCain was a “songbird,” traitor, or collaborator while a prisoner in North Vietnam

These claims generally pointed to a coerced confession McCain signed during torture—not voluntary admission of guilt.

Fact‑checking outlets (Politifact, Snopes, FactCheck.org) have thoroughly debunked allegations of treason or collaboration, stating there is no evidence he committed wrongdoing, nor was he ever pardoned (no such pardon is documented).

  1. The Forrestal “rocket” story

A widespread myth claims McCain fired off a rocket from his jet while preparing to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal.

In reality, on July 29, 1967, a Zuni rocket was accidentally launched from another jet and struck either McCain’s aircraft or the one next to it. The rocket did not detonate, but ignited fuel beneath the planes, triggering a catastrophic fire that killed 134 sailors and injured many.

Official accounts and McCain’s own writings make clear he was a victim of that accident, not the cause. There is no evidence he intentionally or recklessly launched any rocket

Facts in summary

Allegation       Verdict

  • Keating Five corruption – Senate ethics: cleared of improper action, criticized for poor judgment; no charges
  • Signing coerced confession / treason – False, coerced under torture; no crime, no pardon, fully debunked
  • Rocket launch causing Forrestal fire – False, rocket came from another aircraft; McCain was a survivor, not cause

Final Answer in Plain Terms

Was he ever officially charged with a crime or wrongdoing?

No. He was investigated in the Keating Five matter and admonished for judgment—but not charged with any crime.

Did he fire a rocket while on the carrier?

Misleading myth. That explosion was caused by an accidental rocket from another plane striking near him—not a rocket he fired.

Were accusations of treason or being a collaborator ever proven?

No. They stem from discredited smear campaigns and misinterpretation of a coerced confession during his imprisonment.  Fact‐check organizations have repeatedly ruled them false.

A Comment Left by A Reader Which is Very Pertinent to This Discussion:

The idea of someone like John McCain being considered a traitor is simply beyond the pale. It made me sick to my stomach when that despicable excuse for a human being currently in the WH called him a loser because he got caught. 

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John McCain was war hero and also devoted his entire life to public service. I’ve been to Vietnam and I’ve toured the torture chamber McCain was held in that was given the euphemism of ‘prison’. It’s staggering in its cruelty. The facility was actually build by the French oppressors decades earlier to torture uncooperative Vietnamese in their own country. McCain refused an offer to be released early, because he wouldn’t abandon his fellow prisoners. He was there for years; it’s impossible to imagine once you’ve been there. If he’s not a war hero I don’t know who is.

Debunking Bullshit Lies and Conspiracies – John F. Kerry

02 Aug 2025 30 Comments

by Dr. John Persico Jr. in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , ,

For the next several days, I am going to wade into some lies and/or conspiracies that were spread to discredit, dishonor and destroy some upstanding people.  My intention is to publish one of these stories each day.  I am not sure why more information never came out or at least why I was not more aware of the lies concerning these people.  It seems the mainstream media did nothing to help dispel the vicious slander and lies that were spread about these men and women.  Even today, the for-profit media does nothing to discredit the numerous lies and conspiracy theories spread by the current administration.  The following is a another man who was targeted for such lies.

John F. Kerry served with distinction when he was in Vietnam in 1966.  Many people say his war record was faked, and that he did not deserve his medals.  Was he a hero or a fake?

The allegations against John Kerry regarding his service in Vietnam have been the subject of significant political controversy, particularly during his 2004 presidential campaign.  To answer the question—Was John Kerry a hero or a fake?—we need to separate verified facts from politically motivated accusations.

Documented Facts About Kerry’s Vietnam Service

Military Record:

  • Kerry served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970.
  • He commanded a Swift Boat (PCF-94) in the Mekong Delta in 1968–69.
  • He received five medals:
  • Silver Star (for gallantry)
  • Bronze Star
  • Three Purple Hearts (for wounds in combat)

After the War:

Kerry became a prominent anti-war activist, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971, and criticizing U.S. actions in Vietnam.

His speeches included claims that some U.S. troops had committed war crimes—statements that drew strong reactions both then and decades later.

The 2004 “Swift Boat” Allegations

  • During his 2004 campaign, a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) launched a media campaign accusing Kerry of:
    • Exaggerating or fabricating his military service
    • Not deserving some of his medals
    • Lying about his actions during combat

Analysis of the Allegations:

The SBVT claims were refuted by official Navy records and many of Kerry’s fellow crewmates, who supported his version of events.

Multiple independent fact-checkers (FactCheck.org, the Washington Post, and others) concluded that the SBVT campaign was misleading or false.

The campaign is now widely seen as an early and powerful example of a politically motivated smear, giving rise to the term “swift boating” as a synonym for dishonest political attacks.

Bottom Line: Hero or Fake?

Hero: According to military records, eyewitness accounts, and official commendations, John Kerry served with distinction, was wounded in action, and showed bravery.

Not a Fake: The allegations of fraud or exaggeration have been widely discredited and were part of a partisan effort to undermine his credibility in a political campaign.

Controversial: Kerry’s anti-war activism, including his Senate testimony, was divisive and remains controversial—but that does not negate his military service.  Even today when I attend some activities at Veteran Centers throughout Pinal County, I find veterans who suggest that we should have won the Vietnam War but we were “stabbed” in the back by hippies, liberals and war protestors.  Of course, then as now most war protestors are labeled as communist sympathizers or simply cowards.